Darwin's Theory of Evolution

Darwin developed a __________ that offered a scientific explanation for the unity and diversity of life, by proposing how modern organisms evolved through descent from a common ancestor.

• mathematical formula

• religious doctrine

• philosophical argument

• scientific theory

Darwin noted that the __________ included many extinct animals that were __________.

• fossil record, similar to current species

• modern zoos; different from any known species

• literature reviews; identical to living species

• genetic studies; unrelated to any species

Darwin hypothesized that individuals with certain types of __________ are __________ to life in their environment than other individuals.

• clothing; less adapted

• variations, more suited

• languages; less communicative

• technologies; more resistant

Any heritable characteristic that increases an organism's ability to survive and reproduce in its environment is called an __________.

• adaptation

• mutation

• extinction

• variation

__________ describes how well an organism can survive and reproduce in its environment.

• Survival of the Fittest

• Genetic Drift

• Gene Flow

• Mutation Rate

Natural Selection __________ is the process by which organisms in nature with variations most suited to their local environment survive and leave more offspring.

• hypothesis

• law

• theory

• principle

If local __________ change, some traits that were once __________ may no longer be useful, and different traits may become __________.

• climates; beneficial; detrimental

• environments, harmful, advantageous

• populations; common; rare

• technologies; outdated; innovative

According to the __________, all species- living and extinct- are united by descent from ancient __________ ancestors, and exhibit diversity due to __________.

• theory of relativity; human; genetic modification

• law of thermodynamics; microbial; climate change

• theory of common ancestry, common, natural selection

• principle of uniformitarianism; alien; artificial selection

Evolutionary theory explains the existence of homologous structures as a result of what?

• Random mutations

• Common ancestry

• Environmental changes

• Genetic drift

All living cells use information coded in what to carry information from one generation to the next?

• DNA and RNA

• Proteins and lipids

• Carbohydrates and enzymes

• Amino acids and nucleotides